Agent-general

The plaque of the Agent General for British Columbia in London

An agent-general is the representative in cities abroad of the government of a Canadian province or an Australian state and, historically, also of a British colony in Jamaica, Nigeria, Canada, Malta, South Africa, Australia or New Zealand and subsequently, of a Nigerian region. Australia's and Canada's federal governments are represented by high commissions, as are all Commonwealth national governments today.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, a growing number of British colonies appointed agents in Great Britain and Ireland and occasionally elsewhere in Europe to promote immigration to the colonies. Eventually, agents-general were appointed by some colonies to represent their commercial, legal, and diplomatic interests in Britain and to the British government and Whitehall.^[1] They were appointed, and their expenses and salaries provided, by the governments of the colonies they represented.^[2]

Starting in 1886, Quebec and the federal Canadian government also appointed agents-general to Paris. The first, Hector Fabre, was dispatched by the province of Quebec but was asked by the federal government to represent all of Canada. He and his successor, Philippe Roy, continued to represent both Quebec City and Ottawa in France until 1912 when the federal government asked Roy to resign his Quebec position to avoid conflicts of interest. Canadian provinces have also appointed agents-general (called delegates-general by Quebec beginning in the 1970s) to other countries and major cities.

Following a military coup in Nigeria in 1966, the federal system was abolished, and the posts of the agents-general of Nigerian regions in London were subsumed in the Nigerian High Commission.

By the 1990s, some Australian state governments regarded the office of their agent-general in London as a costly anachronism, even for promoting tourism and investment, and have since been closed and subsumed into the Australian High Commission. The majority of Australian states continue to have agents-general in London, but operate from Australia House rather than maintain separate premises.

Many Canadian provinces similarly are no longer represented by an agent-general, although Quebec continues to have a Government Office in London (Délégation générale du Québec à Londres) and in several other cities around the world. Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have representatives who work out of the Canadian Embassy in Washington, DC.^[3]

Australia[]

Agents-general for New South Wales[]

Agents-general for Queensland[]

Agents-general for South Australia[]

• , 1856–1865
• Francis Dutton, 1865–1877
• Arthur Blyth, 1877–1891
• John Cox Bray, 1892–1894
• Thomas Playford II, 1894–1898
• Sir John Cockburn, 1898–1901
• Henry Allerdale Grainger, 1901–1905
• John Jenkins, 1905–1908
• Andrew Kirkpatrick, 1909–1914
• Sir Frederick William Young, 1915–1918
• Sir Edward Lucas, 1918–1925
• John Price, 1925–1928
• Sir Henry Barwell, 1928–1933
• Lionel Hill, 1933–1934
• Sir Charles McCann, 1934–1951
• Alfred Greenham, (in 1959?)
• Malcolm Pearce, 1961–1966
• Raymond Charles Taylor, 1971–1974
• Geoff Walls, 1985?–1998
• Maurice de Rohan, 1998–2006
• Bill Muirhead, 2007–2021^[17]
• David Ridgway, 2021–present^[18]

Agents-general for Tasmania[]

• Hon. Adye Douglas (later Sir, Kt), 1886–1887
• Sir Arthur Blyth (acting), 1887–1888
• James Arndell Youl CMG (later Sir, KCMG) (acting), 1888
• Hon. Edward Braddon, (later Right Hon Sir, PC KCMG), 1888–1893
• Sir Robert Herbert, 1893–1896
• Sir Andrew Clarke (acting), 1896
• Sir Westby Perceval, 1896–1898
• Sir Andrew Clarke (acting), 1898–1899
• Hon. Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, KCMG, 1899–1901
• Sir Andrew Clarke (acting), 1901
• Hon. Alfred Dobson, CMG, 1901–1908
• Sir John McCall, KCMG, Kt., 1909–1919
• (later Sir, Kt), 1919–1924
• Lieut.-Colonel R. Eccles Snowden (later Sir, Kt), 1924–1930
• Darcy W. Addison, CMG, ISO, MVO, 1930–1931
• Herbert W. Ely, ISO (acting), 1931–1937
• Hon. Sir Claude Ernest Weymouth James, Kt, 1937–1950
• Sir Eric E. von Bibra, Kt, OBE 1950–1958
• Hon. Sir Alfred J White, Kt 1959–1971
• Royce R. Neville, 1971–1978
• Hon. Bill Neilson AC, 1978–1981

Agents-general for Victoria[]

• Hugh Culling Eardley Childers, 1857–1858
• Charles Pasley, 1864–1867 (acting)
• George Frederic Verdon, 1867–1872
• Hugh Culling Eardley Childers, 1872–1873
• James McCulloch, 1873 (acting from January to April)
• Archibald Michie, 1873–1879
• Charles Pasley, 1880–1882 (acting)
• Robert Murray Smith, 1882–1886
• Graham Berry, 1886–1891
• James Munro, 1892–1893
• Duncan Gillies, 1893–1897
• Andrew Clarke, 1897–1902 (and for Tasmania)
• , 1903–1913
• ,^[19][20] 1913–1922
• John McWhae, 1922–1924
• George Fairbairn, 1924–1927
• , 1929–1933
• Richard Linton, 1933–1936
• Murray Bourchier, 1936–1937
• Albert Louis Bussau, 1938–1944
• Norman Angus Martin, 1945–1950
• John Henry Lienhop, 1950–1956
• William Watt Leggatt, 1956– 1964
• Sir Horace Petty, 1964–1969
• Sir Murray Porter, 1970–1976
• Sir John Rossiter 1976–1979
• The Hon. Joseph Anstice Rafferty 1979-1983
• Ian Haig, 1983–1985
• Kenneth Andrew Finnin, 1985–1988
• Ian Haig, 1988–1989
• Alan Brown, 1996–2000
• Peter Hansen, 2000–2004
• David Buckingham, 2004–2009
• Sally Capp, 2009–2012
• Geoffrey Conaghan, 2013–2016
• Ken Ryan AM, 2017–2020
• Tim Dillon, 2020-present

Agents-general for Western Australia[]

• Hon. Septimus Burt KC, 1891–1892 (Acting)
• Hon. Sir Malcolm Fraser, 1892–1898
• Hon. Sir Edward Wittenoom, 1898–1901
• Hon. Sir Henry Lefroy, 1901–1904
• Hon. Sir Walter James, 1904–1907
• Hon. Sir Cornthwaite Rason, 1907–1911
• Hon. Sir Newton Moore, 1911–1917
• Hon. Sir James Connolly, 1917–1923
• Hon. Sir Hal Colebatch, 1923–1927
• Hon. William Angwin, 1927–1933
• Hon. Sir Hal Colebatch, 1933–1939
• Hon. Michael Troy, 1939–1947
• Hon. William Kitson, 1947–1952
• Hon. James Dimmitt, 1953–1957
• Hon. Ernest Hoar, 1957–1965
• Hon. Gerald Wild, 1965–1971
• Hon. Sir Stewart Bovell, 1971–1974
• Jim Richards, 1975–1978
• Les Slade, 1978–1982
• Ron Douglas, 1982–1986
• Hon. Ron Davies, 1986–1990
• David Fischer, 1990–1992
• Gary Stokes, 1992–1994
• Bill Hassell, 1994–1996
• Hon. Clive Griffiths, 1997–2001
• Robert Fisher, 2001–2005
• Noel Ashcroft, 2005–2008
• Dr. Kerry Sanderson, 2008–2012
• Kevin Skipworth, 2012–2015
• John Atkins, 2015–2018
• Commodore Michael Deeks CSC RAN Rtd, 2018–present

Canada[]

Agents-general for Canada[]

to the United Kingdom

• Edward Jenkins, MP for Dundee (1874–1876)
• William Annand (1876–1878)^[21]

to France

• Hector Fabre (1886–1910)
• Philippe Roy (1911–1912)

Agents-general for Alberta[]

• (Great War)
• Herbert Greenfield (1927–1931)
• (circa 1966)^[22]
• (1980s)
• Mary LeMessurier (1986–1992)

Agents-general for British Columbia[]

• Gilbert Malcolm Sproat (1872–1876)
• ^[23] (1893–1895)
• Forbes George Vernon (1895–1898)^[24]
• William Walter (1898–1901)
• John Herbert Turner (1901–1915)
• Sir Richard McBride (1915–1917)
• (1917–1925)
• Frederick Arthur Pauline (1925–1931)
• Frederick Parker Burden (1931–1934)
• W. A. McAdam (1934–1958)
• B. M. Hoffmeister (1958–1961)
• J. V. Fishei (1961–1964)
• Earle Cathers Westwood (1964–1968)
• Rear Admiral M. G. Stirling (1968–1975)
• R. M. Strachan (1975–1977)
• L. J. Wallace (1977–1980)
• WR. Smart (Acting) (1980)
• A. H. Hart (1981–1987)
• Garde B. Gardom (1987–1992)

Agents-general for Manitoba[]

• Anthony John McMillan (c. 1890–1900)
• R. Murray Armstrong (1955–1963)^[25][26]

As it was difficult to compete with larger provinces like Ontario and Quebec, the province of Manitoba decided to leave trade promotion to the federal government and accordingly recalled their agent-general in 1965 without appointing a replacement.^[27]

Agents-general for New Brunswick[]

• Frederick W. Sumner (1915–)

Agents-general for Nova Scotia[]

• (1761–1768)
• William Annand (1878–1887)
• John Howard (1892–1929)^[28][29]
• Miss Jean Iris Howard (Acting, 1929–1930s)^[30][31]
• Charles Arthur Richardson (1969–1972)
• John Elvin Shaffner (1973–1976)
• Rear Admiral Desmond Piers (1977–1979)^[32]
• Donald MacKeen Smith (1980–?)

Agents-general for Ontario[]

to the United Kingdom

• Southworth (1908–?)
• Richard Reid (1913–1916) Died in office
• Brigadier-General Manley R. Sims (1918–1920)
• G. C. Creelman (1920–1921)
• William C. Noxon (1921–1934)
• vacant (1934–1944)
• James S. P. Armstrong (1944–1967)
• Allan Rowan-Legg (1968–1972)
• Ward Cornell (1972–1978)
• W. Ross DeGeer (1978–1985)
• Thomas Leonard Wells (1985–1992)
• Robert Nixon (1992–1994)
• Sophia Arvanitis (2021-present)^[33]

to Asia-Pacific

• Tim (Thomas E.) Armstrong (1986-1990)

to France

• Patrick J. Lavelle (1981-1983)
• Adrienne Clarkson (1983–1988)

to Japan

• Robin Sears (1990–1994)

to New York City

• (1992)

Agents-general for Prince Edward Island[]

• Harrison Watson (1902–?)^[34]

Agents-general for Quebec[]

Quebec uses the title agent-general or delegate-general. In 1936, legislation was passed by the government of Maurice Duplessis closing all Quebec government offices abroad. The government of Adélard Godbout repealed the legislation and opened an office in New York City in 1940. When Duplessis returned to power in 1944, his government retained the New York City office and its agent-general but opened no others. In the early 1960s, the government of Jean Lesage began to open additional offices abroad appointing in Paris (1961), London (1962), Rome and Milan (1965) and subsequent governments opened offices in Chicago (1969), Boston, Lafayette, Dallas and Los Angeles (1970), Munich and Berlin (1971), Brussels (1972), Atlanta (1977), Washington (1978), Mexico City and Tokyo (1980), Beijing and Santiago (1998), Shanghai and Barcelona (1999), Mumbai (2007), São Paulo (2008) and Moscow (2012).^[35] In 1971, the title of agent-general was officially changed to delegate-general although previous title is still often used, particularly for the government's representative to London.

As of 2016, the government of Quebec has delegates-general (agents-general) in London, Brussels, Mexico City, New York, Paris, and Tokyo; delegates to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Rome, and offices headed by directors offering more limited services in Barcelona, Beijing, Dakar, Hong Kong, Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai, Stockholm, and Washington. In addition, there are the equivalent of Honorary consuls, titled antennes, in Atlanta, Berlin, Houston, Qingdao, Seoul, and California's Silicon Valley.^[36]

to the United Kingdom

• Jean-Marie-Joseph-Pantaléon Pelletier (1911–1924)^[37][38]
• (1925–1936)^[39]
• vacant (1936–1961)
• Hugues Lapointe (1961–1966)^[40]
• Guy Roberge (1966–1971)^[41]
• Jean Fournier (1971–1977)^[41]
• Gilles Loiselle (1977–1983)^[42]
• (1983–1987)^[43]
• Reed Scowen (1987–1992)
• Harold Mailhot (1992–1995)
• Richard Guay (1995–2000)
• Daniel Audet (2000–2003)
• George R. MacLaren (2003–2008)
• Pierre Boulanger (2008–2012)^[44]
• (2012–2014)^[45]
• Christos Sirros (2014–2017)^[46]
• John A. Coleman (2017–2019)
• Pierre Gabriel Côté (2019–present)

to France

• Hector Fabre (1882–1910)^[47]
• Philippe Roy (1911–1912)
• vacant (1912–1961)^[35]
• Charles Lussier (1961–1964)^[48]
• Jean Chapdelaine (delegate general) (1964–1976)
• François Cloutier (delegate general) (1976–1977)
• Jean Deschamps (delegate general) (1977–1979)
• Yves Michaud (delegate general) (1979–1984)
• Louise Beaudoin (delegate general) (1984–1985)
• Claude Pug (delegate general) (1985–1986)
• Jean-Louis Roy (delegate general) (1986–1990)
• Marcel Bergeron (delegate general) (1990–1991)
• André Dufour (delegate general) (1991–1994)
• Claude Pug (delegate general) (1994–1995)
• Marcel Masse (delegate general) (1995–1997)
• Michel Lucier (delegate general) (1997–2000)
• Clément Duhaime (delegate general) (2000–2005)
• Wilfrid-Guy Licari (delegate general) (2005–2010)
• Michel Robitaille (delegate general) (2010–present)

to Belgium

• Godfroy Langlois (1914–1928)^[49]
• vacant (1936–1972)^[35]
• (1972–1977)
• Jean Chapdelaine (chargé des affaires) (1977)
• André Patry (1978)
• Jean-Marc Léger (1978–1981)
• Jean-Paul L'Allier (1981–1984)
• (1984–1986)
• (1986–1989)
• Pierre Lorrain (1989–1993)
• (1993–1996)
• Denis de Belleval (1996–1999)
• Richard Guay (1999–2001)
• Nicole Stafford (2001–2004)
• Christos Sirros (2004–2014)^[46]
• Michel Audet (delegate general) (2014–present)^[46]

to Germany (Munich)

• Claude Trudelle (delegate general) (as of 2016)^[46]

to Japan

• Claire Deronzier (delegate general) (2013–present)^[46]

to Mexico

• Christiane Pelchat (delegate general) (2011–2014)^[50]
• Eric R. Mercier (delegate general) (as of 2016)^[46]

to the United States (New York City)

• (1940–1967)
• (1967–1969)
• Général (1969–1971)
• (1971–1977)
• (delegate general) (1977–1980)
• Richard Pouliot (delegate general) (1980–1982)
• Raymond Gosselin (delegate general) (1982–1984)
• Rita Dionne-Marsolais (delegate general) (1984–1987)
• (delegate general) (1987–1992)
• Reed Scowen (delegate general) (1992–1994)
• (delegate general) (1994–1997)
• David Levine (delegate general) (1997–1998)
• Diane Wilhelmy (delegate general) (1998–2002)
• Michel Robitaille (delegate general) (2002–2007)
• (delegate general) (2007–2008)
• Robert Keating (delegate general) (2008–2009)
• John Parisella (delegate general) (2009–2012)
• André Boisclair (delegate general) (2012–2013)
• Dominique Poirier (delegate general) (2013–2014)
• Jean-Claude Lauzon (delegate general) (2014–present)^[46]

Agents-general for Saskatchewan[]

• Graham Spry (1946–1968)
• (1973–1977)
• Merv Johnson (1977–1983)
• Robert Larter
• Paul Emile Rousseau (1986–1991)

Jamaica[]

Source: Historic Jamaica.^[51]

• 1664–1666: Sir James Modyford
• 1682–?: Sir Charles Lyttelton
• William Beeston
• 1688: Ralph Knight
• Gilbert Heathcote
• 1693–1704: Bartholomew Gracedieu
• 1714: P. Marsh
• 1725: Alexander Stephenson
• 1725–1726: Edward Charlton
• 1728–1733: Charles de la Foy
• 1733: John Gregory
• 1733–1757: John Sharpe
• 1757–1762: Lovell Stanhope (MP for Winchester)
• 1764–1795: Stephen Fuller
• 1795–1803: Robert Sewell
• 1803–1812: Edmund Pusey Lyon
• 1812–1831: George Hibbert
• 1831–1845: William Burge
• 1845 Office abolished

Malta[]

With the granting of responsible self-government to Malta in 1921, a proposal of the government of Lord Strickland to appoint an agent-general to "encourage the migration of Maltese to the Northern Territory and north-west Australia" was presented to the parliament. Strickland, who was Governor of Western Australia (1909–1913) suggested former Colonial Secretary and Agent-General of Western Australia in London, Sir James Connolly.^[52] The position was discontinued with the suspension of the constitution in November 1933 and was replaced by a Trade Commissioner, who was in turn replaced by a Commissioner-General in 1947.^[53]

South Africa[]

Prior to the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, the four constituent British colonies of southern Africa all sent agents-general to London, coinciding with the establishment of responsible self-government in each colony.

Agent-general for the Orange River Colony[]

The Orange River Colony sent an agent-general from 1908 until the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Brounger was a former Director of the Orange Free State Railways.

Agent-general for the Transvaal Colony[]

The Transvaal Colony sent an agent-general from the establishment of responsible self-government in 1907 until the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Solomon then served as the first South African High Commissioner in London from 1910 to 1913.

Agents-general for the Cape Colony[]

The Cape Colony sent separate agents-general until the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

Agents-general for Natal[]

The Colony of Natal sent separate agents-general until the creation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

New Zealand[]

After 1905 the position of Agent-General was replaced by that of High Commissioner, with the final Agent-General becoming the first High Commissioner.

Nigerian regions[]

Signing the visitors' book at with Arthur Prest (left) and (right)

The First Nigerian agents-general to the United Kingdom were appointed in December 1959 and include:

• Northern Region:
• Eastern Region: Jonah Chinyere Achara
• Western Region: Chief Akitoye Emmanuel Coker

The last Nigerian Agent-Generals in London were:

• Northern Region: Baba Gana
• Eastern Region: A. Ekukinam-Bassey
• Western Region: Prince Delphus Adebayo Odubanjo
• Mid-West Region: Josiah A.P. Oki

Notes[]

Bibliography[]

• Hilliker, John; Barry, Donald (1995). Canada's Department of External Affairs. Volume 2: Coming of Age, 1946–1968. Canadian Public Administration Series. 20. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press. ISBN 978-0-7735-0738-8. ISSN 0384-854X.
• Australian Dictionary of Biography^{[permanent dead link]}

External links[]

• Australian High Commission Website
• Quebec Government Office in London
• Victorian Government Agent-General
• Office of the Agent-General – South Australia
• Agent-General (UK) – Trade & Investment Queensland